UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240 February 27, 2004 In Reply Refer To:
8300(250) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 03/01/2004
Information Bulletin No. 2004-072
To: All Washington Office and Field Office Officials
From:
Group Manager, National Recreation
Subject: May 2003 Document Titled The BLM’s Priorities for Recreation and Visitor Services
(BLM Workplan Fiscal Years 2003-2007)
Program Areas: Recreation Resource Management and Visitor Services.
Purpose: This Information Bulletin officially announces the availability of the Bureau of Land
Management’s (BLM) May 2003 document titled The BLM Priorities for Recreation and Visitor
Services (BLM Workplan Fiscal Years 2003-2007).
Policy/Action: This Workplan incorporates the Department of the Interior’s Strategic Plan goals
to improve access to appropriate recreation opportunities, to ensure a quality experience and
enjoyment of natural and cultural resources, and to provide for and receive fair value in
recreation. The three principle Goals, seven major Objectives, 31 key Milestones, and 137
separate Actions describe the BLM’s priorities for management of public lands recreation and
the delivery of visitor services. Implementation of the Workplan will be held to a high level of
accountability. Both quarterly and annual progress reports will be made to the ELT by the
Recreation and Visitor Services Advisory Team (RVSAT) which was officially chartered by the
Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning (W0-200) on July 29, 2003.
Timeframe: It is anticipated that the May 2003 document titled The BLM Priorities for
Recreation and Visitor Services (BLM Workplan Fiscal Years 2003-2007) will retain its full fiveyear viability, but it is, by design, intended to be a dynamic workload-guiding instrument. As
specific actions items are accomplished, new actions will be added to maintain the Workplan’s
contemporary value.
Background: Approximately two years ago, the BLM Director requested that California State
Director Mike Pool work with several other members of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT)
to formulate a set of national priorities for the BLM’s Recreation Management Program. The
Director outlined several key factors which prompted this request including: 1) recreation and
tourism has become a high profile management issue for almost every BLM State and Field
Office in recent years, and has made the top-four list of priorities within the Department of the
Interior; 2) recreation and tourism has become one of the key economic boosters in all of the
2
western states and in most of these states’ political subdivisions; 3) recreation-related issues such
as motorized access, permits and fees, infrastructure development, and visitor service availability
are fast becoming flash-point topics among many BLM constituencies; and 4) western
communities, and particularly rural communities, are recognizing their growing dependence on
the BLM-administered public lands within proximity to fulfill specific quality-of-life
expectations.
With ELT oversight, assignments were made to the BLM’s National Recreation Group (WO250) and key BLM State Recreation Program Leaders to define future recreation workload and to
begin preparation of a “recreation program priorities” document. Following the January 2003
National Recreation Workshop in Redding, California, where significant work was accomplished
in refining a full set of recreation priorities for the BLM, a final draft version of the document
titled The BLM Priorities for Recreation and Visitor Services (BLM Workplan Fiscal Years
2003-2007) was delivered to the ELT, through State Director Pool, for consideration. The ELT
supported the draft effort, and asked that the document be finalized. In May 2003, at the ELT’s
regularly scheduled meeting, State Director Pool delivered the final product and received
unanimous approval for its printing and distribution. This document has been printed, and a
limited supply is still available from either State Office Recreation Program Leaders or the
National Recreation Group (WO-250).
Coordination: Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning (WO-200), Assistant
Director, National Landscape Conservation System (WO-170), and Group Manager, Public
Affairs (WO-610).
Manual/Handbooks Section Affected: None.
Contact: Donald Charpio, Group Manager, National Recreation Group (WO-250) at
202-452-7738 or Scott Abdon, Senior Recreation Specialist, National Recreation Group
(WO-250) at 202-785-6515.
Signed by:
Robert T. Ratcliffe
Acting Group Manager
National Recreation
Authenticated by:
Barbara J. Brown
Policy & Records Group, WO-560
Directives forwarded to State Director, CA-930, T. Smith
3/1/04